Turkish FM Fidan Warns Greek Military Presence on Kastellorizo Violates Demilitarized Status

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking during a visit to Azerbaijan, said 'the militarization of the islands that have a demilitarized status constitutes a threat for us,' after Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Kastellorizo — 2km off Turkey's south coast — and nearby military outposts on September 11–13. Turkey's Defense Ministry said the visit and Greek troop presence violate the island's demilitarized status under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and 1947 Paris Peace Treaty; Greece rejects Ankara's legal interpretation and says it will defend its islands. Turkish media reported Turkey had relocated its 51st Commando Brigade opposite the Greek island of Samos. Both countries are NATO members with a long-running dispute over Aegean maritime boundaries and airspace.